Washing machine



Feb. 17,1942, E. FABER WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 16, 1957 tor: Erick}, F em Mu 5 Patented Feb. 17, 1 942 wAsmNG MACHINE Erich Faber, Bridgeport, Com, asslgnor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New Application October 16, 1937, Serial No. 169,421

Claims. (01. 8- 133) The present invention relates to washing machines of the type having arotatable receptacle in which the clothes are washed and centrifugally dried, thewashing being effected by an agitator in the receptacle and the drying being effected by rotating the receptacle.

The object of my invention is' to provide an improved construction and arrangement for driving the-agitator and receptacle, and for a considerationvof what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following description and the claims appended thereto.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig.1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a washing machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the upper end of the driving shaft showing the arrangement for supporting and driving the agitator and receptacle; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a sectional view of an alternative arrangement for driving and supporting the agitator and receptacle.

Referring to the drawing, I have illustrated my invention applied to a washing machine of the type shown in Patent Number 2,161,618, issued June 6, 1939. This machine has an outer casing or tub 'I, the upper end of which is partially closed by an annular cover 2 having aflange 3 which fits within theupper, end of the tub. .The cover has a projedting' bead 4 which rests on the upper edge of the tub. A cover 5 which rests on the inner edge of the annular cover 2 completes the closure of the upper end of the tub. Below the lower end of the tub I is a base 6 suitably supported, for example by casters The base carries a'gear casing 8 containing the mechanism for operatingthe Washing machine which may,

for example, be that of Patent Number 2,161,618,

. referred to above. The base carries a cylindrical skirt 9 which covers the junction between th base and the lower end of the tub.

Fixed. to the upper side of the gear'casing 8 is a tubular post H) which projects upwardly through aligned openings in the base and the bottom of the tub. The tub and base are clamped to the post in by a clamping ring I l on the upper side of the tub bottom by means of screws l2 threaded through the clamping ring into a flange l3 integral with thepostlll. Suitable gaskets are arranged between the surfaces clamped betweemthe flange and clamping ring.

Projecting from the gear casing 8 is a vertical drive shaft 14 having a brakedrum l5 keyed thereto. The brake drum is connected to a vertical shaft 16 by means of a universal joint the platesv 20. With this construction, the verwhich comprises diametrically opposed pins ll fixed in ears l8 integral with the brake drum. The pins arejjoumaled in bearings l9 clamped between plates, 20 which comprise the intermediate member of the universal joint. Midway between the pins I! are diametrically opposed pins 2| projecting from the shaft l6 and likewise journaled in bearings 22 similarly clamped between tical shaft I6 is free to tilt in all directions with respect to the drive shaft l4.

The shaft l6 projects upwardly through a sleeve 23 the upper end of which projects above the maximum water level in the tub L. The lower end of the sleeve 23 is resiliently supported-by a mounting which comprises annuluses 24 and 25 of rubber or other suitable resilient material arranged within the tubular post Ill. The annulus 24 is arranged between an inwardly extending flange 26 integral with the post l0 and an outwardly extending flange 21 integral with a sleeve 28 fixed to the sleeve 23. Theannulus 25 is arranged between the upper side of the flange 21 a and a washer 29 which is clamped against'the upper surface of the annulus by a nut 30 threaded into the upper end of the post. The inner surface of the annulus 25 bears against a sleeve 3| fixed to the sleeve 23. The sleeve 3| has the same outside diameter as the sleeve 28 so that the annuluses 24 and 25 may be of the same size. The flexibility of the resilient mounting for the sleeve 23 is adjusted by the nut 30 which varies the compression of the annuluses and.

thereby varies the stiffness of the mounting. With this arrangement the sleeve 23 is resiliently supported for gyratory movement about a vertical axis with respect to the driving shaft i4. Leakage around the lower end of the sleeve 23 is prevented bya cover 32 of flexible waterproof material one end of which is clamped between the clamping ring I l and the bottom of the tub and the other end of which is clamped to the sleeve 23 by means of a clamp 33. In the upper end of the sleeve 23 is flxed a sleeve bearing 34 of self-lubricating mauously discharged into the upper end of the receptacle, the excess water flowing out of the upper edge of the receptacle through perforations 38 in the guard ring. At the inner edge of theguard ring is a vertical flange 39 terminating in an inwardly rolled edge 40 which provides a hand grip by means of which the receptacle may be lifted.

Fixed at the center of the receptacle is a vertical hub 4| the upper end of which projects above the upper ends of the side walls 36 and is therefore above the water level in the receptacle. In the lower end of the hub 4| isfixed a sleeve bearing 42 of self -lubricating material which bears on the shaft It. In the upper end of the hub 4| is fixed a combined sleeve and thrust bearing 43, also of self-lubricating material, the inner surface of which bears on a sleeve 44 and the lower end of which bears on a washer 45.

At the upper end of the bearing 43 is a washer 46 which is held in place by the spun-over portion 41 at the upper end of the hub 4|. sleeve 44 is provided with splines which engage the splined end 48 of the shaft I6 andnon-rotatably secure the sleeve to the shaft. The lower end of the sleeve 44 rests on a shoulder 49 on the shaft. Projecting from the lower end of the sleeve 44 is a flange 50 on the upper side of which is arranged washers or disks of friction material and an intermediate metal washer 52.

' The weight of the receptacle resting on the upper surface of the washer.45 clamps the washers against the flange 50 and provides a slip connection between the washer 52 and the sleeve 44. The washer 52 has a tongue or projection 53 which cooperates with a stop 54 fixed to the inside of the hub 4|. As is evident from Fig. 3 the shaft I6 is normally free to oscillate through an angle of nearly 360 without causing engagement of the tongue 53 and stop 54. Upon continued rotation of the shaft the tongue 53 enably securing the nut to the shaft. The nut fits within a socket in the hub 58 of an agitator and non-rotatably secures the agitator to the shaft. The lower end of the agitator hub rests on the The 2,273,5ee A tator. The rotation of the receptacle continues in one direction until the stop 54 on the receptacle hub is engaged between tongue 53 on the disk 52. Upon impact of the tongue 53 and stop 54 the receptacle is given an impulse which reverses the direction of its rotation and starts the rotation of the receptacle in the opposite direction. Due to the slip connection between the disk 52 and the shaft It provided by the friction disks 5|, the impact between the tongue 53 and the stop 54 is cushioned and strains on the driving mechanism are decreased; At the completion of the washing operation the shaft I6 is rotated continuously in one direction. During the rotation of the shaft the tongue 53 engages the stop 54 and completes the driving connection to the receptacle. The slip connection to the disk 52 cushions the impact between the tongue 53 and stop 54 and permits a gradual acceleration of the receptacle.

In Fig. 4, is shown an alternative arrangement for supporting and driving the agitator and receptacle. In this construction there is fixed to the shaft IS a sleeve 63 having an inwardly extending flange 54 at its lower end on which rests a combined sleeve and thrust bearing 65 of selflubricating material, pinned to the receptacle hub by pins 56. -The vertical portion of the sleeve 53 guides the rotation of the receptacle, and the flange 64 takes the thrust. Above the upper end of the sleeve 63 is arranged a series of metal washers ordisks 61 keyed to the shaft |5 by means of splines 68. Intermediate the disks 6'! are metal disks 69 each of which is providedwith a tongue 10 of the same construction as the tongue 53 of the disk 52. The disks 59 are loose on the shaft l6. Between the disks projecting portion of the thrust washer 55. A

cap 59, snapped in place over the upper end of the agitator hub, prevents leakage of water around the shaft. The agitator has a downwardly flaring tubular portion which terminates in a disk 5| adjacent the bottom of the receptacle. Projecting from the tubular portion 60 and disk 6| are vanes 62 which agitate the liquid and clothes in'the receptacle to effect washing.

In the use of the washing machine, the receptacle is filled with liquid and clothes and the shaft I6 is oscillated through an angleof the order of 180 at a rate of the order of 60 complete oscillations per minute. The angle and rate of oscillation obviously depend on the design of the agitator and the washing speed desired. During'this oscillation of the shaft Hi,

the receptacle is supported in rotatable relation to the shaft l6 by the bearings 42 and 43. It has been observedthat the receptacle will have a slight rotational movement due to variations in the instantaneous speed of the oscillating shaft 1 and to variations in the resistance offered by the clothes and liuuid to the oscillation of the agi- 61 and 69 are arranged friction disks or washers 1| which are likewise loose on the shaft IS. The disks are pressed against the upper end of the sleeve 63 by a coil spring 12 arranged between the top washer 61 and a nut 13 threaded on the shaft 5. As in the previously described construction, the tongues 10 cooperate with the stop 54 fixed to the inside 'of the receptacle hub 4|. This arrangement provides a slip connection between the shaft IS and the receptacle hub which functions in the same manner as the construction shown in Figs. 2 and 3. vThe friction between the disks is adjustable by varying the compression of the spring 12 by means of the nut 13.

Above the upper end of the receptacle hub 4| is the hub I4 of an agitator which may have the same general construction as the agitator shown in Fig. 1. The lower edge of the agitator hub 14 rests on the upper surface of the nut 13, the nut serving asa thrust bearing for the agitator. The hub 14 is provided with a socket 15 in which are splined metal disks l6. Intermediate the disks 16 are metal disks I! which are splined on the upper end of the shaft IS. The disks 16 are loose with respect to the shaft l5 and the disks 1! are loose with respect to the agitator hub .14. Between the disks 16 and 11 are disks 18 of friction material, loose or. free with respect to the shaft and hub, which provide a friction or slip connection between the disks. The disks are pressed together bya cup-spring 19 arranged between the top disk 11 and a screw threaded into the upper end of the shaft. The screw is fixed in a cap 8| which provides a convenient grip for the operator for adjusting the pressure between the disks. By adjusting the cap 8| pressure between the disks may be varied from a position in' which, the disksare loose, in which case the agitator will remain stationary during the oscillation of the shaft,

to a position in which the disks are so tightly pressed together that the agitator is in effect solid with respect to the shaft. In the intermediate positions of the cap 8| the friction between the disks will be such that the disks will and the agitator also has the effect of reducing the shock on the driving mechanism on reversal ,of the shaft, which decreases the strain on the driving mechanism and also decreases the noisewhich may arise .due to clearance in the parts of the oscillating mechanism.

The receptacle drive is claimed in a divisional application Serial No. 339,972, filed June 11, 1940, now Patent Number 2,258,244, issued October '7, 1941.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. Ina washing machine, a shaft, means for oscillating the shaft, an agitator having a hub surrounding the shaft and having its inner walls spaced from the shaft and providing an annular space therebetween, and a slip connection between the hub and shaft including a friction disk connected to the hub, and a friction disk connected to the shaft,- said disks being telescoped over the shaft and located in the space between the hub and shaft.

2. In a washing machine, a shaft, mean; for oscillating the shaft, an agitator having a hub surrounding the shaft and having its inner walls spaced from the shaft and providing an annular space therebetween, a disk non-rotatably fixed to the hub, av disk non-rotatably fixed to the shaft, a free disk therebetween, said disks being telescoped over the shaft and located in said space, and means pressing the disks together providing a slip drive between the hub and the shaft. v

3. In a washing machine, a shaft, means for oscillating the shaft, an agitator having" a hub surrounding the shaft, a drive between the hub and shaft comprising engagingfriction surfaces, and means for adjusting the pressure between said surfaces whereby the angle of oscillation of the agitator is adjustable.

4. In a washing machine, a shaft, means for oscillating the shaft, an agitator having a hub surrounding the shaft, a drive between the hub and the shaft comprising engaging friction surfaces, spring means pressing said surfaces together, and a manually operable member for varying the pressure exerted by the spring whereby the angle of oscillation of the agitator is ad- J'ustable.

5. In a washing machine, an agitator, means for oscillating the agitator including a friction drive having frictionally engaging parts arranged between the agitator and an oscillatory driving member, and manually operable means for adjusting the pressure between said parts to values between zero and the pressure at which no slippage occurs between frictionally engaging parts whereby the angle of oscillation of theagirtator is adjustable, said manually operable means including provisions for maintaining its adjusted position.

ERICH FABER. 

